Despite hearing the call of Don't Trade Lives to end labour exploitation in the West African cocoa industry, Australia's chocolate manufacturers have come up with nothing new.
Earlier this year, World Vision's Don't Trade Lives campaign asked Australian chocolate manufacturers to produce, by 1 December 2008, a detailed, time-bound and fully costed plan of action for combating the worst forms of child labour in West Africa.
"That deadline - like so many before it - passed with only an open letter that is light on detail but heavy on rhetoric," said World Vision Australia's Chief Executive Tim Costello on 2 December. "Even the industry's own agreement to combat child labour, the Harkin-Engel protocol, has been consistently watered-down from its original intent."
Another missed opportunity
In 2001, the chocolate industry made a commitment through the Harkin-Engel protocol to address the issue of child labour in West Africa's cocoa industry, but deadlines for action have repeatedly been missed.
Seventy percent of the world's cocoa is produced in West Africa. At least 284,000 children are involved in the worst forms of child labour on cocoa farms in this region. Some of these children are taken or enticed from their homes. Others come "voluntarily" to cocoa farms, only to find themselves enslaved.
Through the Don't Trade Lives campaign, World Vision called on the Australian chocolate industry to take action to stop this shameful exploitation.
Did the chocolate industry hear us?
Yes, they did! Some 20,000 Australians supported this call through Don't Trade Lives. Their letters, phone calls, events and petitions have been heard loud and clear by the Australian chocolate industry. For example, we know that in response, some major chocolate companies have sent their staff internal memos on the issue, but these did not accurately represent the campaign actions or demands.
On 1 December, the industry body - Confectionery Manufacturers Association of Australasia - sent Don't Trade Lives an open letter stating that industry is "committed" to eradicating labour exploitation in cocoa harvesting. However, the letter fell well short of the challenge that we put to industry.
Campaign coordinators have looked at the letter carefully and compared this to the calls that were made by the campaign. You can see the results here.
What happens now?
Unless we buy ethical chocolate, such as those products carrying the Fairtrade label, there is no guarantee that the chocolate we consume is made without labour exploitation. Don't Trade Lives will continue to call on the chocolate industry to produce chocolate that is slave free. For a list of ethical chocolate brands refer to the Good Chocolate Guide.
What can you do?
Demand ethical chocolate from your local supermarket or department store. Call or email them today and tell them that:
you'd buy ethical chocolate if they stocked it; and
you'd love to see them using Fairtrade cocoa in their own home brands.
To make it easy for you, we've listed the numbers here.
The year ahead
In addition to the continuing focus on the Australian chocolate industry, Don't Trade Lives will also investigate labour exploitation in our neighbourhood - the Asia Pacific region - where the issue is most acute. For more information visit the Don't Trade Lives website.
More than half the world's trafficked people come from our very own Asia Pacific region. Our government is well placed to take the lead on regional efforts to end this trade in human lives.
